Graham Chapman
29 November 2004
19 November 2004
My karma's gone to the dogs
As I prepared to leave work yesterday evening with thoughts of how much studying I'd be able to get done at home, the spousal unit called to say that a very friendly beagle had met her as she was headed out to meet the boys! She had a collar, but no tags, and wanted to play.
Instead of coming home to a drink & study time, I came home to 3 smallish monsters tear-assing around the back yard.
Yes, she's sweet, and cute (and needs a bath, big-time!), but we can't say no, & we're not willing to send critters to the county pound where they'll be put down after a week or so.
But I really didn't have the energy to supervise three dogs, & she is an "everything chewable off the floor" dog. They finally wore themselves out & crashed, but I got almost nothing accomplished at all.
This morning, we're going to try and set up foster care for her through the woman that gave us Rudy this summer, or get her to another shelter nearby where she'll have a better chance of her owner finding her, or of being adopted.
Oh.. and then there's the momma cat and her little boy who met me on the steps the other evening... .
Instead of coming home to a drink & study time, I came home to 3 smallish monsters tear-assing around the back yard.
Yes, she's sweet, and cute (and needs a bath, big-time!), but we can't say no, & we're not willing to send critters to the county pound where they'll be put down after a week or so.
But I really didn't have the energy to supervise three dogs, & she is an "everything chewable off the floor" dog. They finally wore themselves out & crashed, but I got almost nothing accomplished at all.
This morning, we're going to try and set up foster care for her through the woman that gave us Rudy this summer, or get her to another shelter nearby where she'll have a better chance of her owner finding her, or of being adopted.
Oh.. and then there's the momma cat and her little boy who met me on the steps the other evening... .
17 November 2004
13 November 2004
Another great idea
Imagine walking into your favorite coffee shop -- not Starbucks -- and the camera at the door recognizes you as a regular, and prints your order for the barrista, with some leeway for you to not get that if you so desire.
My original idea was for a book of "mugshots" of regulars & their orders to be kept behind the counter, but the geek in me pushed it a little farther.
Just as long as we can keep the government out of the private databases of facial recognition!!
My original idea was for a book of "mugshots" of regulars & their orders to be kept behind the counter, but the geek in me pushed it a little farther.
Just as long as we can keep the government out of the private databases of facial recognition!!
04 November 2004
Overheard in a voting line
"i think all the ones with the white headphones are voting for kerry."
Courtesy of Tequila Mockingbird.
Courtesy of Tequila Mockingbird.
01 November 2004
The price of aging
Before we left town last Saturday, I dropped one of the girls off at the vet so that she could get her antibiotics through the weekend, and be ready for her dental surgery today.
The vet called to tell me that she's doing fine, but that they had to take out three teeth; both of her upper canines, and one lower molar. The vet assures me, though, that Mushin will be able to continue to hunt... she'll just have to hold tighter with her paws :)
She'll be 10 years old sometime next spring, and continues to have a steady supplement of mice, rabbits, voles, bats, & flying squirrels in her diet, some of which she brings in to share with the puppies!
We'll pick her up this afternoon, and nurse her through what will surely be a somewhat painful recovery.
It will be good to see her, though, since I haven't seen her since Saturday morning -- I wonder how long it will take her to forgive us?
The vet called to tell me that she's doing fine, but that they had to take out three teeth; both of her upper canines, and one lower molar. The vet assures me, though, that Mushin will be able to continue to hunt... she'll just have to hold tighter with her paws :)
She'll be 10 years old sometime next spring, and continues to have a steady supplement of mice, rabbits, voles, bats, & flying squirrels in her diet, some of which she brings in to share with the puppies!
We'll pick her up this afternoon, and nurse her through what will surely be a somewhat painful recovery.
It will be good to see her, though, since I haven't seen her since Saturday morning -- I wonder how long it will take her to forgive us?
30 October 2004
The Worst Trip Ever...
Maybe the worst drive to C'ville ever!
We were almost to Natural Bridge, not quite half the way, when Rudy got sick in the back seat. I am so glad we bought the seat covers! That doesn't help the stink, though.
We stopped at the next exit to clean up at the gas station there, & while I did that J walked the boys in a field.
About the time that I was done, she came over & said, "BlackJack rolled in a pile of shit!"
So now we have a dog covered in crap, & a car that smells like dog vomit... . What a great combination, eh?
We found a hose & washed him off as best we could with paper towels.
Thankfully it was a nice day, because we drove the next 100 miles with the windows down, & the worst smelling non-farm vehicle in the state.
The boys got baths after our arrival, but if we hadn't been going for a family birthday, I would have just turned around & gone home!
We were almost to Natural Bridge, not quite half the way, when Rudy got sick in the back seat. I am so glad we bought the seat covers! That doesn't help the stink, though.
We stopped at the next exit to clean up at the gas station there, & while I did that J walked the boys in a field.
About the time that I was done, she came over & said, "BlackJack rolled in a pile of shit!"
So now we have a dog covered in crap, & a car that smells like dog vomit... . What a great combination, eh?
We found a hose & washed him off as best we could with paper towels.
Thankfully it was a nice day, because we drove the next 100 miles with the windows down, & the worst smelling non-farm vehicle in the state.
The boys got baths after our arrival, but if we hadn't been going for a family birthday, I would have just turned around & gone home!
23 October 2004
A Helping Hand
We're spending the day helping M* run his graduate experiment on freshman engineering students.
These kids are, for the most part, very focused.
If this random group is representative, then the freshman class is one quarter women ? and about half of those are pretty darn cute, especially the little blonde in the corner with the blouse off the shoulder thing goin' on...
When testing the first set, two of eight bridges failed, but as one of the girls whose bridge failed noted, "At least it's pretty!"
And they wonder why it took women so long to break into the engineering field?
Ah, they've just discovered the caffeine & sugar... Things should pick up ;-)
These kids are, for the most part, very focused.
If this random group is representative, then the freshman class is one quarter women ? and about half of those are pretty darn cute, especially the little blonde in the corner with the blouse off the shoulder thing goin' on...
When testing the first set, two of eight bridges failed, but as one of the girls whose bridge failed noted, "At least it's pretty!"
And they wonder why it took women so long to break into the engineering field?
Ah, they've just discovered the caffeine & sugar... Things should pick up ;-)
10 October 2004
07 October 2004
05 October 2004
04 October 2004
02 October 2004
seen on campus
A young couple walking hand in hand down the sidewalk.
Each carrying on separate conversations on their cell phones... .
Each carrying on separate conversations on their cell phones... .
07 August 2004
On the Road
Day 4...
Mom gets to go home this morning!
J. was great & stayed @ the house "being domestic" while I'm here with Mom waiting for all the paperwork, etc. before
My sister will hopefully arrive in town within the next couple of hours, & we get together on what needs to happen over the next few days while she's in town.
The doc said that Mom will probably be in her brace for up to 4 months before getting it off, which is going to make it hard for her to get around.
I'm more worried about her trying to get up and down the steps since she can't move her head up & down to see.
Mom gets to go home this morning!
J. was great & stayed @ the house "being domestic" while I'm here with Mom waiting for all the paperwork, etc. before
My sister will hopefully arrive in town within the next couple of hours, & we get together on what needs to happen over the next few days while she's in town.
The doc said that Mom will probably be in her brace for up to 4 months before getting it off, which is going to make it hard for her to get around.
I'm more worried about her trying to get up and down the steps since she can't move her head up & down to see.
06 August 2004
On the Road
Day 3...
Mom is still in the hospital, but it looks like she will be able to go home tomorrow.
There was talk of transferring her to a rehab unit for as long as twelve days, but now it looks like she can have home-care come & do PT every other day or so for that time.
My sister will be up tomorrow, & I'm sure she'll have her hands full trying to keep Mom from doing too much.
It's hard for me to see Mom having such difficulty, but she'll have much less pain when all is said & done.
The biggest positive, I think — aside from fixing her spine — is that she finally has to stop smoking. Unfortunately, she can't use the nicotine patches, either, & has to stop 'cold turkey'.
J has been wonderful to have here, staying over @ the hospital the 1st night & giving Mom a soothing foot massage last night. She's at Mom's house working on the first dinner we haven't eaten out!
We're hoping to get all the shopping done that we need to in the morning, too.
Mom is still in the hospital, but it looks like she will be able to go home tomorrow.
There was talk of transferring her to a rehab unit for as long as twelve days, but now it looks like she can have home-care come & do PT every other day or so for that time.
My sister will be up tomorrow, & I'm sure she'll have her hands full trying to keep Mom from doing too much.
It's hard for me to see Mom having such difficulty, but she'll have much less pain when all is said & done.
The biggest positive, I think — aside from fixing her spine — is that she finally has to stop smoking. Unfortunately, she can't use the nicotine patches, either, & has to stop 'cold turkey'.
J has been wonderful to have here, staying over @ the hospital the 1st night & giving Mom a soothing foot massage last night. She's at Mom's house working on the first dinner we haven't eaten out!
We're hoping to get all the shopping done that we need to in the morning, too.
05 August 2004
On the Road
Day 2...
J stayed with Mom last night, & I'm grateful, as was Mom.
I'm sure J will need to catch up on her sleep, though I got a little more sleep than the night before.
J stayed with Mom last night, & I'm grateful, as was Mom.
I'm sure J will need to catch up on her sleep, though I got a little more sleep than the night before.
04 August 2004
On the Road
Day 1...
We're at the hospital waiting while Mom is in surgery. There are two procedures one from the front to replace the bone, & one from the back to put in a hinge to replace the torn ligament.
The entire operation is expected to take almost six hours, (it's been about two hours already).
The first update from the surgery nurse was positive, & we'll get those every hour or so.
J. has gone back to the house to walk the dogs & have a nap; she'll be back here later after mom is awake.
I still haven't gotten much sleep, though, & I'm definitely feeling it.
On Monday, we were both up late working on things & only got about four hours of sleep.
After driving for a couple of hours yesterday, J. took over & I expected to drop right off.
Alas, 'twas not to be. I dozed for about 15 minutes and that was it.
We got in late after a couple of delays — including a stray dog (more on him later) — and only got about 5 hours of sleep last night.
I'm hoping to catch a little snooze here in the waiting room, but it's looking doubtful with all the comings & goings and noise.
!! It's 2:50, and the first part of the surgery is done. They're in the process of getting everything switched around for the second part.
I'm sure that when this is all done and I'm rested, the enormity of this whole deal will catch up with me... .
We're at the hospital waiting while Mom is in surgery. There are two procedures one from the front to replace the bone, & one from the back to put in a hinge to replace the torn ligament.
The entire operation is expected to take almost six hours, (it's been about two hours already).
The first update from the surgery nurse was positive, & we'll get those every hour or so.
J. has gone back to the house to walk the dogs & have a nap; she'll be back here later after mom is awake.
I still haven't gotten much sleep, though, & I'm definitely feeling it.
On Monday, we were both up late working on things & only got about four hours of sleep.
After driving for a couple of hours yesterday, J. took over & I expected to drop right off.
Alas, 'twas not to be. I dozed for about 15 minutes and that was it.
We got in late after a couple of delays — including a stray dog (more on him later) — and only got about 5 hours of sleep last night.
I'm hoping to catch a little snooze here in the waiting room, but it's looking doubtful with all the comings & goings and noise.
!! It's 2:50, and the first part of the surgery is done. They're in the process of getting everything switched around for the second part.
I'm sure that when this is all done and I'm rested, the enormity of this whole deal will catch up with me... .
03 August 2004
On the Road
We're on 40 West on our way to stay with my mom while she has surgery.
She fell a couple of months ago, & after going around with the doctors, finally getting someone to do an MRI.
It turns out she has two cracked vertabrae ? C7 & T1.
I really hope that I can catch up on my sleep tonight after we get there.
She fell a couple of months ago, & after going around with the doctors, finally getting someone to do an MRI.
It turns out she has two cracked vertabrae ? C7 & T1.
I really hope that I can catch up on my sleep tonight after we get there.
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